


To a Man's Heart

by BoredPsychopath_JC



Series: What if Q's cats witness how they finally get together? [1]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies), SPECTRE (2015)
Genre: (because poor Q is so manipulated in Spectre), Bond is less the manipulator, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, M/M, Post-SPECTRE, Q's cats are cornish rex, Q's smittenness starts to give way to rationality, Romance, Tumblr ficlet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-09 00:43:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5519195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoredPsychopath_JC/pseuds/BoredPsychopath_JC
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Christmas Eve. Q's alone with his cats at work. Then there's a surprising visitor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To a Man's Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas (or happy holidays) to you all :)  
> Originally posted on my blog because this is for my friends on Tumblr.

It’s Christmas Eve. It’s the rare one when no Double-Ohs are currently on mission. Of course all the minions have been sent home.

Time's now nearly 7pm and all’s quiet in the Q-branch, save for occasional typing and rustling. Q's responsible for the former and his cats the latter.

He’s brought Homer and Wordsworth to work, because he simply can’t leave his cats alone in the flat. Plus they already have their cat beds and litter box here.

*HISS*

“Hey, relax, you silly," cried Q affectionately. His eyes are still glued at the screen.

“NONONONONONONO!” *hisssss* “REOWWWWWW!!!” It grows into a loud chorus of angry cat warning.

Q’s never heard his cats react in such fury. He looks up from the notes and laptop, searching for the source of feline alarms. He tenses, grabbing the Walther PKK from the tray (just returned by 004 for some adjustments) nearby.

He relaxes only a bit when he identifies the all-too-familiar silhouette. _Why should it be you?_ His wish for a quiet Christmas eve vanishes immediately.

Bond steps into the light, revealing he's carrying a box. Q puts away the gun with a sigh.

"Before you just drop by to return a piece of that car, may I remind you that I can't fix it for you after you’ve resigned.”

"Actually I’ve _just_ reported back to M,” Bond strides straight to the working desk, his face smug.

Q frowns. His train of thoughts is only suddenly stopped by his cats, which jump on the working desk to hiss at the unwelcoming visitor.

With a smirk, Bond slides the box in front of Q, leaning in to whisper, “Open it now, my dear quartermaster. Merry Christmas.”

Q hides his blush by busying himself with the wrapping. He mindlessly pushes the wrappings to the cats, which immediately take their aggression out on tearing and scratching the wrapping paper.

There’re two beautifully knitted sweaters in the box. For cats. Q hates himself for struggling for words. He thought he could have done better after Bond ran off with someone in that car last time.

“Cornish Rex may find it too cold down here.” Bond explains, breaking the silence.

“How... do you even know the breed… of my cats?” Q stammers a bit.

“To a man’s heart is through his cats," Bond replies casually. Q looks at him, surprised to see pure honesty on the agent's face. There’s no flirty smirk.

"What the hell does _that_ mean, 007?" Q gathers strength to ask. He’s sworn enough times not to have his feelings manipulated again.

" _James_ ," Bond corrects, "I expected you haven't had dinner yet and obviously I'm right again.” Bond feels Q eyeing him warily, yet instead of returning the glare, he just places his hands under one of the cat's nose. Homer sniffs and lets Bond pet it in five seconds. _Traitor_ , Q scolded his favourite cat in his mind.

"Can I answer your question over dinner?" Bond looks up from the cat to lock eyes with Q. “There's a reservation for two. If you're fine with that of course,” he adds mildly.

Q is taken by the sincerity in Bond's voice and he even identifies the slight worry about getting a negative answer. It’s so weird that Q’s really given a free choice. Even if Bond just wants company on Christmas Eve, Q actually finds it fine to accept the invitation. _Just for dinner and nothing more_. After all, this dashing blonde man doesn't sound like an annoying Double-Oh for once. Plus his precious cats just got lovely Christmas gifts.

"Help me get the cats in the sweaters first," Q gives him a faint smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. In my headcanon, Q loves literature and reads poetry whenever he wants to relax. So his cats are named after poets but not scientists :P  
> 


End file.
